The Dust Bowl was a series of dust storms in the Midwest. These sand storms made farming much too difficult in the Midwest region, forcing farmers to leave everything behind and become migrant workers. It was not a farmer's choice to become migrant workers, but they would do anything to keep their families from starving. When hearing migrant labor it is often confused with people migrating from other countries to come farm in the U.S. which is false. Migrant labor was displaced farmers trying to find a job because their farms were no longer fertile.
Migrant Worker and his belongings
The Life of a Migrant Worker
A migrant worker is a person who moves place to place based on harvest and planting seasons. The life of a migrant worker was far from the "American Dream." The life of a migrant worker was a harsh one. In the 1930s migrant workers harvested 90 percent of crops which meant all they did was farm. They made anywhere from 75 cents to a $1.25 a day and rented a cabin on the farm land for 25 cents leaving them with little money. This life was not a very stylish one, but people would do anything to make a living in the Great Depression. Migrant labor was the choice of 125,000 to 1,000,000 farmers.
The Movement to California
Following World War l, a recession led to the drop in the market place of farm crops and caused Great Plains farmers to increase their crop productivity. In 1929, the stock market crashed. This large increase of productivity on top of the crash caused farmers to be financially overextended. Many then lost their farms. As this was going on, the increase of farming in the Great Plains caused the land's soil to lose its nutrients, and become much less fertile. Also, a major drought and large spurt of dust storms contributed into making the land even more less suitable for farming. Soon, the land turned into a dry area not capable of agriculture, known as the Dust Bowl. This motivated many farmers to venture off with their families in search of new labor. Many chose California. Due to the Gold Rush of 1848-1852, many people were filled with the hope that they could find wealth in the gold industry. Thus causing their travels to California. Although California was known as the "Golden State", conditions for many migrant workers were very treacherous and uncomfortable. There were frequent communities, often called "ditch camps", which were located on the sides of roads next to filthy water ditches. These camps were disease ridden and overall unfit for human beings. Although California seemed to promise happier lives to migrant workers, in many cases it did not.
Dust Bowl Sparks Migrant Labor
The Dust Bowl was a series of dust storms in the Midwest. These sand storms made farming much too difficult in the Midwest region, forcing farmers to leave everything behind and become migrant workers. It was not a farmer's choice to become migrant workers, but they would do anything to keep their families from starving. When hearing migrant labor it is often confused with people migrating from other countries to come farm in the U.S. which is false. Migrant labor was displaced farmers trying to find a job because their farms were no longer fertile.The Life of a Migrant Worker
A migrant worker is a person who moves place to place based on harvest and planting seasons. The life of a migrant worker was far from the "American Dream." The life of a migrant worker was a harsh one. In the 1930s migrant workers harvested 90 percent of crops which meant all they did was farm. They made anywhere from 75 cents to a $1.25 a day and rented a cabin on the farm land for 25 cents leaving them with little money. This life was not a very stylish one, but people would do anything to make a living in the Great Depression. Migrant labor was the choice of 125,000 to 1,000,000 farmers.
Migrant Workers
The Movement to California
Following World War l, a recession led to the drop in the market place of farm crops and caused Great Plains farmers to increase their crop productivity. In 1929, the stock market crashed. This large increase of productivity on top of the crash caused farmers to be financially overextended. Many then lost their farms. As this was going on, the increase of farming in the Great Plains caused the land's soil to lose its nutrients, and become much less fertile. Also, a major drought and large spurt of dust storms contributed into making the land even more less suitable for farming. Soon, the land turned into a dry area not capable of agriculture, known as the Dust Bowl. This motivated many farmers to venture off with their families in search of new labor. Many chose California. Due to the Gold Rush of 1848-1852, many people were filled with the hope that they could find wealth in the gold industry. Thus causing their travels to California. Although California was known as the "Golden State", conditions for many migrant workers were very treacherous and uncomfortable. There were frequent communities, often called "ditch camps", which were located on the sides of roads next to filthy water ditches. These camps were disease ridden and overall unfit for human beings. Although California seemed to promise happier lives to migrant workers, in many cases it did not.
California Migrant Workers